Madam, – As someone whose books have sold second hand in countries as far apart as Japan, Italy, Sweden, Canada and elsewhere without reference to copyright issues, and likely pass for free between acquaintances, I find the attitude of recording companies and those in official circles to exactly the same circumstances in the music field to be little short of nauseating.
Like the vast majority of writers and I suspect most artists, I am cheered not by the money but by the fact that more people end up reading my work. What passed through the High Court this week was the exact opposite (“Music labels to rethink fight against piracy”, Front page, October 12th). It was all about restricting ready access to artistic work only to those with money. When young, I haunted second-hand bookshops, paying the small sums I could afford to read the works of great writers. No doubt to quiet smiles of encouragement from beyond the grave. For without their illumination, I would never have turned to writing.
Today, there are tens of millions of aspiring artists as poor now as I was then. Without the enlightenment gained from listening to great works, far too many will fall by the wayside. It is a tragedy now edging towards the inevitable.
From time immemorial, Mammon worshippers have been building roadblocks, stifling blossoming talents in pursuit of personal gain. Today, they are moving out of the neighbourhood.
Right now, the goal is global. With all singing from the same hymn sheet. Nobody listens unless they pay us first.
Perhaps it is time we writers put a spoke in their wheel.
And tell Minister for Communications Eamon Ryan, and Fianna Fáil, that they can no longer play favourites. Should the Government attempt to introduce legislation cosseting the recording companies, we can see them off by demanding that they provide exactly the same rights to copyrighted writers whose circumstances exactly mirror those of artists and composers on the Internet.
To be sure, it’s the devil quoting scripture for his purpose.
But let’s see them try to wrestle their way out of yet another unnecessary quagmire. – Yours, etc,